HD Notebook

Farms can be dangerous places

By Patti Hurtgen, Hoard’s Dairyman Online Media Manager

On working farms, there’s constant movement of people and equipment. And with summer, that means more activity and more people.

We have signs posted to remind people of dangers. Roll bars and seatbelts are designed to protect drivers in case of accidents. Covers exist to shield power take-off shafts. But, they must be used in order to be effective. Read more

They’ve dropped by more than half since October, almost entirely because of milk prices.

by Dennis Halladay, Hoard’s Dairyman Western Editor

Monthly feed cost data used in the Margin Protection Program- Dairy (MPP-Dairy) paints a clear picture of what is behind the more than 50 percent drop in average dairy producer margins that has taken place in the last six months.

It is those officially computed figures that determine whether producers who bought extra margin protection insurance above the program’s $4 per hundredweight baseline will receive payments under the program. Read more

Bunker silos are a great storage option for feed when filled, covered and managed correctly.

By Abby Bauer, Hoard’s Dairyman Associate Editor

Bunker, or horizontal, silos are a great feed storage option for many farms. These structures typically have lower initial costs and lower maintenance needs than some other forms of feed storage. They also allow for high storage capacity and rapid filling. Read more

A former animal rights investigator turned whistleblower pulls back the curtain on anti-agriculture activist tactics.

by Brittany Statz, 2015 Hoard’s Dairyman Editorial Intern

It’s no secret that the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) vehemently opposes animal agriculture. Their commercials and Internet videos depict livestock farms as horror houses where abuse and neglect lurk around every corner. However, a new video from the Center for Consumer Freedom has surfaced, exposing an even uglier side to this organization. Read more

Class 4b hearing next week will see farmers and plants light years apart – as usual.

by Dennis Halladay, Hoard’s Dairyman Western Editor

Even if a federal milk marketing order (FMMO) does eventually come to California and next Wednesday’s public hearing in Sacramento winds up being the last time farmers and processors square off on opposite sides of a state-run pricing squabble, there is still no chance of them making up and walking out the door as friends. Read more

Knowing the rules and regulations for hiring young employees on your dairy can save you — and them — from a world of problems.

by Brittany Statz, Hoard’s Dairyman Editorial Intern

My dad grew up on a small dairy. Even though he left the farm, he always enjoyed telling stories about growing up on the farm. Dad’s best tale was about how their bull chased him through the woods before he climbed a tree to get out of the way. As one of nine children, danger just seemed to be a part of life for my father. Read more

Fast-food leader McDonald’s and farmers around the world face some of the same challenges when it comes to consumer perception.

By Abby Bauer, Hoard’s Dairyman Associate Editor

While our businesses look quite different on the outside, fast-food giant McDonald’s and production agriculturalists face many of the same challenges. One is the continuous struggle to defend against the “big is bad” perception held by some consumers. Read more

Output is targeted at markets where U.S. exporters have been successful in recent years.

by Dennis Halladay, Hoard’s Dairyman Western Editor

The already competitive global pizza cheese market got a lot more challenging for U.S. companies last week, when New Zealand export giant Fonterra completed an expansion project that doubles the capacity of its mozzarella plant in Clandeboye on the nation’s large herd-dominated south island (seen above). Read more